Huston's fishing report

[Lee Borgersen]

  Huston's fishing report              
                                                                         
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Happy Easter, anglers! This past week we spent time on Lake Superior, the Rainy River and inland waters.

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Lake Superior is having a good bite right now. If you can handle a little wind and don't mind the cooler morning temps, you can catch some nice fish. The coho salmon bite has been decent while trolling a variety of baits in bright colors. Long lining with planer boards has been the best. (One does not need a bunch of expensive gear.)





 

 
Anglers are also still catching nice Kamloops trout and steelhead at the river mouths. The areas from the Lester all the way to Two Harbors have been good for shore-fishing 'loopers. It is recommended you get out early to beat the rush (especially on the weekends). This past week we saw hundreds of anglers up and down the shoreline trying their luck.

 
We are now starting to see some smelt off-shore of the rivers, staging for the annual spring spawn cycle. It is early yet, but I forecast by next week we will see harvest in the Twin Ports. Remember that anglers need to possess a valid fishing license to partake in the activity.

The tributaries to Lake Superior continue to see anglers having mixed success. Utilizing a float indicator over a couple sinkers, a fly and egg pattern have produced some fish. Hex flies are also turning a few.

The St. Louis River is slow to start, but as temps rise look for action to pick up. Shallow bays with timber and rock are the go-to spots for panfish; use live bait or plastics this time of year. A simple crappie minnow under a float can be the setup for success. Sturgeon fishing has been pretty quiet, but look for some reports to come through in the near future. Walleyes are closed, but the Rainy River was going strong to end its season this last week.

 
Inland lakes are just about all ice-free. That doesn't mean the water temperatures are in the "catch window," but we are getting there. We have been finding "some" panfish in about 10 feet of water. Water temps in shallow bays were as high as 48 but averaged about 44 degrees. As we move further into spring, look for the bite to continue to pick up on all area waters.

Jarrid Houston of South Range is a fishing guide (www.houstonsguideservice.com) on Minnesota and Wisconsin inland waters, the St. Louis River and, in winter, on Lake Superior.